Car-coupling



No Model. B. M. LONG & A. T'. ANDERSON.

CAR COUPLING.

No.556,995. PatentedM 24,1896. I

' men/15719 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BURGESS M. LONG, OF DEKOVEN, AND ALLEN T. ANDERSON, OF STURGIS,

KENTUCKY.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,995, dated March 24, 1896.

Application filed July 30,1895. Serial No. 557,570. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, BURGESS M. Lone, residing at Dekoven, and ALLEN T. ANDERSON, residing at Sturgis, in the county of Union and State of Kentucky, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in car-couplings of that class in which the coupling-heads are designed for partial rotation, to be engaged and disengaged, and provided with means for limiting their movement and for locking them in their engaged position.

It has for its object, among others, to provide a simple and cheap coupling of this character that can be applied to an ordinary drawhea-d. \Ve provide a swinging lever for engaging and holding up the coupling-lever to prevent coupling when desired. The coupling-levers are weighted, so as to assist in the automatic coupling of the jaws and to hold them in their coupled position against accidental disengagement. The coupling-head is provided with an opening for the reception of a coupling-pin, so that the same may be engaged with an ordinary link-coupler should occasion require.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention in this instance resides in the peculiar combination, the novel construction, arrangement and adaptation of parts, all as fully hereinafter described, shown in the drawings, and then particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of our improved coupler, showing the coupling-jaws disengaged. Fig. 2 is a like view showing the jaws engaged and the coupler closed. Fig. 3-is a side elevation of one of the coupling-jaws.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designatesthe draw-heads, from which project the tubular portions or bosses B, into which extend the axles or shafts C, which are held against rotation and endwise movement by the vertical pins D, as seen best in Figs. 1 and 2', and the outer ends of the shafts are provided with heads O, which fit in a socket in the coupling-head, as indicated at the left in Fig. 1.

E is the coupling-head, having a central longitudinal aperture through which the said shaft or axle passes and a recess or socket, as above mentioned, to receive the head 0 on said shaft or axle. The coupling-head is mounted for rotation upon the said shaft or axle and is limited in its movement in both directions by a stop or lug F projecting from or secured to the boss B, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, and working in a recess G in the inner end of the hub of the coupling-head E, the rotation of the latter being limited by the en gagement of said stop or lug with the end walls of the notch or recess in said head, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 1. Each head has the diametrically oppositely disposed jaws H H, which terminate in the hooks h, oppositely disposed, as shown, and each head is designed to be manipulated by means of a coupling-lever I, which is affixed thereto in any suitable manner, as by being entered in a hole in the hub or inner portion of the same, as shown in Fig. 1, and this coupling-lever is weighted, so that when the latch is turned out of its path it will automatically assume its lowermost position to engage the coupling-jaws and retain them in their closed position.

Each coupling-head is provided with an opening J in such position that when the parts are engaged this opening will be uppermost, as shown in Fig. 2, and in position to receive a coupling-pin to adapt the coupler for use with an ordinary link-coupling should occasion require.

K is a latch pivotally mounted at its upper end, as at 70, on a plate L, secured in a recess on the side of the boss B, and which plate is provided with a pin or projection M, as seen best in Fig. 3, to limit the movement of said latch in one direction. This latch has a square upper face, audits front face is formed upon an incline or curved line, as seen in Fig. 3.

lVith the parts constructed and arranged substantially as above set forth the operation will be readily understood and, briefly stated, is as follows: \Vhen the parts are in the position in which they are shown in Fig. 1, the coupler is open and cannot be coupled until the latch K has been so moved as to disengage it from the coupling-lever I. hen in position for coupling, it will be understood that the coupling-lever I is disengaged from the latch, and when the two coupling-heads comeinto contact with each other the rounded surfaces of the jaws permit them to pass one another, the heads rotating sufficiently to permit of. easy coupling, and as soon as the jaws have passed the weight of the coupling-levers automatically throws the parts into the position seen in Fig. 2 and locks them against disengagement. To uncouple, either one of the coupling-levers is moved upward until it passes the latch, when the latter swings into its normal position and its flat upper end is brought in the path of the coupling-lever, and by reason of the projection or pin M the latch cannot swing backward, and the lever will be thus held up and the coupling retained in position, so that it cannotbe coupled until the latch has been moved to allow the coupling-lever to fall.

Modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What is claimed as new is 1. The combination with the draw-heads, of the rotatably-mounted coupling-heads, the weighted operating-levers connected therewith, and a pivoted latch for engaging the operating-lever, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with the draw-head and boss, of the rotatably-mounted coupling-head having hooked jaws, the weighted couplinglever thereon, the latch pivoted on a boss 011 the draw-head, and a projection extending from said boss to limit the movement of the latch, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with the rotatablymounted coupling-heads having oppositelydisposed hooked jaws and notches in their hubs, of the lugs working in said notches to limit the rotation of the heads, a weighted coupling-lever on each coupling-head, and a pivoted gravity-latch having square upper ends, substantially as specified.

4c. The combination with the draw-head and the boss, of the plate secured in a recess in said boss and having a lateral projection, a latch pivoted on said plate and a rotatably-mountod coupling-head provided with a weighted operating-lever, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof we affix our sigmittures in presence of two witnesses.

BURGESS M. LONG. ALLEN ANDERSON.

\Vitnessos J. MARK THOMPSON, A. W. THOMPSON. 

